1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus equipped with a photosensitive body and a first transfer roller to transfer developer from the photosensitive body to an intermediate transfer belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, image forming apparatuses are used to form an image on a printing medium. Examples of such an image forming apparatus include a printer, a copier, a facsimile device, and a combination device integrating functions thereof.
Such an image forming apparatus scans light to a surface of a charged photosensitive body through an optical exposure unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive body, and then supplies developer to the electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image into a visible image. The visible image developed on the photosensitive body through the developer is transferred to the printing medium through a transfer unit, and the developer on the printing medium is fixed to the printing medium through a fixing unit.
The transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt to which the developer of the photosensitive body is transferred, a first transfer roller to transfer the developer from the photosensitive body to the intermediate transfer belt, a second transfer roller to transfer the developer from the intermediate transfer belt to the printing medium, and a pair of rollers arranged at opposite sides within the intermediate transfer belt to rotate the intermediate transfer belt.
Transfer units are classified into direct type and indirect type transfer units. In the case of the direct type transfer unit, the first transfer roller allows the intermediate transfer belt to come into close contact with the photosensitive body so that the developer is transferred from the photosensitive body to the intermediate transfer belt. On the other hand, in the case of the indirect type transfer unit, electric current is applied to the intermediate transfer belt so as to allow a partial area thereof to be electrically charged so that the developer is transferred from the photosensitive body to the intermediate transfer belt by electrical attraction.